Carjacking in Pismo led to CHP chase down Highway 101, Pismo Beach police say

A Grover Beach man was arrested Thursday morning for allegedly forcing a driver out of a parked car in Oceano, and then leading police on a chase, the Pismo Beach Police Department says in a news release.

Samuel Nicholas Carlos Giovanni, 30, was arrested on suspicion of carjacking and a probation violation near the intersection of Stillwell Road and Ashbrook Lane in Orcutt. He was booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail with $100,000 bail bond on suspicion of carjacking and violating terms of his probation, according to public records.

Officers were called to the 600 block of Five Cities Drive at 7:53 a.m., where they were told that a man allegedly opened the unlocked passenger door of a parked car and forced the driver out, police said. No weapons were reportedly used.

The suspect, identified by police as Samuel Giovanni, allegedly drove away and onto southbound Highway 101, police said.

After sending out a description of the vehicle, CHP officers located the vehicle on Highway 101 near Betteravia Road, police said.

Giovanni refused to pull over and let officers on a short pursuit, police said, but authorities called off the chase due to public safety concerns.

A short time later, Giovanni and the car were found in Orcutt and the vehicle was returned to the owner, police said.

This story was originally published January 24, 2019 at 2:21 PM.